When We
by Midnight.Sylvia
Summary: Sequel to 'I Am You, You Are Me'. Follows Dawn and Paige from when they first came to be to when they met. What happens when they realize before this meeting, they were just one half of the same whole?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Charmed don't belong to me. Both shows belong to a bunch of people I don't know.

A/N: This is a sequel to 'I am you, you are me.' It isn't really required to be read; all that's really needed to be known is that Dawn and Paige are both the key - the amount of energy contained in the original state was so powerful it couldn't be spilt into one person. The story will follow both shows to a certain extent, and follow the Buffy series into the comics. There'll be Twilight (and by guess at who that is), certain character developments (Buffy, Willow & Riley) and the big battle up the mountains.

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They would meet though, years later. Dawn Summers and Paige Matthew, two halves of the same coin. Though they'd be a far cry from what they were when they first arrived into existence. Real years of experience, melting and mending into the fake memories the monks had casted into the minds of loved ones and themselves.

It would be 15 years before they would come across each other.

The first time they laid eyes on each other was in San Francisco. The war that the slayers had been leading quietly behind the background of the government's war had finally spread, and finally revealed itself to the world at large. From then on the invisible cord that had been holding magical beings back was released and everyone was thrown hurtling forward. Paige hadn't known about slayers, the knowledge had thrown her as much as when she had realised there were vampires. And Dawn, although she had known many witches over the years, she hadn't known of the 'Charmed Ones'. Though that could easily be explained …

It would have been better if they had met years ago, so many things could have been averted. But they hadn't. Some things though are just meant to be.

One thing was certain though as they caught sight of each other across the partial destroyed landmark of the Golden Gate Bridge, smoke filling their eyes … they didn't really like each other.

Maybe that's why they didn't like each other at first sight. They saw something so familiar in the other. A knowledge as one part called out to the other. That maybe the war-torn world they lived in didn't have to be one of those things that were meant to be.


	2. Her Years: Dawn Summers

Disclaimer: Still doesn't belong to me.

A/N: Sorry to people who don't like recaps chapter, this is a necessary evil. Starts from season 5 and continues into some parts of the comics. Just basically placing out how Dawn's character evolves.

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For Dawn; the continuing phrase of life or death situation being used regularly in her life wasn't funny.

The first thing that had changed her life was when she realised, with the assistance of Spike, she wasn't real. That shocking revelation being made when her mother was sick. Her mother had died of natural causes, and soon after her sister had jumped into a portal stopping the world from being destroyed. Her only foundation left in the world had been cruelly ripped from her. Buffy; her sister, the slayer, had jumped so she could save someone who wasn't even real.

Those left around her, did a good job of looking after her but she had to wonder if there were moments when they looked at her and thought that Buffy would be here if it weren't for Dawn. So she did what every other normal girl would do; despite her not being normal, she acted up, she pouted and whined but all the time they stayed with her.

Willow and Tara had been the main carers for her; with the Buffy-bot serving as a deflector as to why she didn't move in with her father. It was useful for to stay in Sunnydale but it was another painful reminder of what was lost. No matter how much they thought it would work, it could never replace her sister. But they had been there when she was angry, when she was crying and when she was happy; gentle reminding that Buffy wouldn't want her to be lost forever. The best memories she had of them together was at the kitchen island; Tara making pancakes, then watching the two witches feed one another; it was very sweet.

Xander acting goofy, with promises of pizza and awful entertainment, she loved. While Anya, pouted in the background making her complaints now, as vocal as usual. Even though it annoyed her; the constant demand of orgasms it was comforting to know that some things never changed.

Giles had stayed around, but he left after some months. That had hurt, which surprised her because she thought that after all the pain she had went through she wouldn't be able to feel that anyone. Though she had! Giles had always told her that he felt like he was part of a family here in Sunnydale, an odd family he would add after taking off his glasses and cleaning them but family still. But apparently not to stay with after Buffy had left. They weren't enough.

What had surprised her was Spike, he had stayed; he never left. She knew she was his Lil' Bit. But she wasn't sure if he could stay around after another love had left him; someone way worthy then the demented chick who was forever swooning after the poster boy of leather evil. But he had stayed. He was the only one who would yell at her after she did something stupid. While the others looks on tentatively, still unsure of what do.

The others wouldn't yell at her, wouldn't raise their voice. Cause no matter how hard they tried to pretend, it wouldn't work. Things had changed.

Then Buffy had come back to them, a mere shadow of the sister she had been and everything had been in turmoil. A sister who had taken months to enjoy being back. Then everything was beginning to be okay again until with three little pieces of metal the world around them was shattered. Tara had died, her sister and Giles had nearly died again, but that wouldn't have been something to make a note of since the whole world was once again under threat of being destroyed. This time however is wasn't some stranger, or a person wearing the mask of someone they knew but someone they actually knew… Willow. A person who was a stone throw away from being almost like her family, after her mother had died and Buffy had gone away. But that was hard to see and remember as she stared into her inky black eyes. And then the world wasn't going to end … the same as usual. But now there wasn't any more Willow around, and Tara, well, she'd never be anymore.

Then the gang had been back together again, but it hadn't lasted long, soon the house started to fill up with potential slayers and her, the other one. Faith, the name only made her teeth on edge. But that wouldn't matter for long, other things had a way of creeping up on them and suddenly there it was … the next Big Bad hit them. The biggest of them all, The First, the entity behind every bad thought and every bad act in existence since the dawn of time. She had laughed at the notion of the incorporeal Bad Ass that was after them, but after the death … the suicide of one of the potentials, fearful thoughts would plague her mind while she laid waiting for sleep to come over her at night. More fearful than she had ever been with anything else that had ever happened in her living memory. They had all been swept away.

When everyone woke up, they had found themselves standing in foreign countries ... and all separated. The memory of standing over a giant crater that had been Sunnydale laid heavily in their minds, the only thing that joined them together through the miles that separated them.

The awareness, the feeling of waking up after a deep terrible sleep hadn't lasted long. The next Big Bad had come together with friends, and once again they were all swept away in choices, in decisions that they wouldn't fully understand until they realised how much they had changed. Realised that they were all painfully alone.


	3. Her Years: Paige Matthews

Disclaimer: Don't own either series, just taking the characters out and playing with them.

A/N- After this chapter, there will be some original plot and character development, as well as Dawn and Paige interaction.

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It had to be this way. Having had all the wonderful things that magic had opened up to Paige, she should have known not to turn her back on it. But her sisters and she had, almost completely.

She had been hesitant when finding out about her sisters, when she first knew about their existence. Found out that she was a 'Charmed One.' Freaking out was high on the list as well, considering that realization coinciding with the rising of the Source. Though when the calm finally came, she was left with the startling emotion of no longer being the only child.

She adapted to her new situation, and eventually moved into a home with a new family. A home that never seemed to be quiet constantly filled with the bubbling sound of a lively family. Eventually she found herself enjoying this time, despite it being filled with ups and downs. But the constant demon fight became tiring and all the Charmed Ones wanted a normal life. Especially when she ended up marrying Henry; something greatly appreciated when they started their own family.

Near the end, Paige and her sisters had fought the Ultimate battle; an annoyingly two times. The first had left her, well, dead along with Phoebe. But the second attempt, with the assistance of Billie had resulted in the bittersweet taste of victory.

They could now spend the rest of their lives doing what they pleased, no longer having to worry about their shared destiny hanging over their heads. The demons had said that it would take a few years for the Underworld to resemble itself again. The demons would never be completely vanquished but they were of such an organized state that most would merely have time to venture into the world again. A few would try, but it wouldn't be much to occupy them. They could have their lives now. They shouldn't have done that, believed what they were told whole-heartedly, that they didn't practice their powers. How could they forget that demons lie?

Her sisters and her had stopped fight demons. Piper had started her restaurant while Phoebe had worked away at helping other people through advice and she had been left to guidance … the younger witches in the classroom and out in the field battling demons, using her white lighter instincts. Fulfilling the gap in her by being a white lighter, a hole that had been made when she left her position at the South Bay Social Services.

Maybe Christy and Billie, and numerous other mystical creatures had been right … maybe they had been lazy with their powers and were selfish. Confident that they were the powerful Charmed Ones and that their powers would continue through the children Piper and Leo had had.

They thought a huge change would be felt right away. That large numbers of anything would be needed to defeat them. They should have remembered was all that it took was one.

They were wrong. By the time they found out that the war that was going around them was demonic, Piper and Leo were dead while Phoebe was in a coma. That state for Phoebe hadn't lasted long and that had been one of the hardest days in Paige's life. The day she had to turn off the plug for her sister's life support.


End file.
